Landslide
by pdhtgal
Summary: Sara is in a very difficult relationship and only one person can get her out a jam. *N/S* (Some slight language, nothing major... but don't want to get into any trouble, so I'll put PG 13 as the rating.)
1. Default Chapter

DISCLAIMER: I don't own 'em, except for Bill, who I wouldn't really want to own anyways… 

A/N: I am still continuing with my other story. I have reached a bit of block and should be updating it soon. Thank you to everyone who replied to that story. It means a lot that people are reading and enjoying what I write.

The song featured in here is: Landslide, by the Dixie Chicks, featuring Sheryl Crow.

**~~~*~~~ Landslide ~~~*~~~**

Sara gathered her things together and headed toward her parked car. Today was the day.

She was finally going to do it. She was going to break up with Bill. Things had been over 

for a while now; she just didn't have the urge to break things off with him. Sighing she 

slumped down in her seat. She didn't want to break his heart, but truth be told, she was

 more afraid of his reaction.
    
    _I took my love and I took it down_
    
    _I climbed a mountain and I turned around_
    
    _And I saw my reflection in the snow-covered hills_
    
    _Well the landslide brought me down_
    
    Sara pulled up to Bill's house. She could see that he was already home, and probably
    
     cooking something delicious for supper. _I wish I wasn't doing this to him;_ she shrugs as
    
     she walks up to the door. She could smell the supper on the stove. When Bill opened the
    
     door, there was a scowl on his face. "Ran late again?"
    
    Sara swallowed hard. She had known this wasn't going to be easy. It was getting harder
    
     and harder to explain why she was wearing long sleeve shirts in the Las Vegas heat. 
    
    "You know how it is. Dead people have no concept of time." She said, trying to crack a
    
     joke to lighten the already dark mood between them.
    
    _Oh, mirror in the sky_
    
    _What is love_
    
    _Can the child within my heart rise above_
    
    _Can I sail thru the changing ocean tides_
    
    _Can I handle the seasons of my life_
    
    Bill barely acknowledged that she said something to him. "Well, supper is ready. Get
    
     inside. I don't air-condition the streets of Reno." 
    
    Sara squared her shoulders and stepped inside. "Actually Bill, I won't be staying for
    
     supper tonight." _Or any night for that matter._ 
    
    Bill whirled around. "What?" The scowl had returned.
    
    Sara cleared her throat. "I won't be staying for supper. I only came by to tell you that it is
    
    over. I don't want to see you or hear from you anymore. I won't let you hurt me one more
    
     time."
    
    Bill took a few menacing steps toward her. "So you think I slaved over the hot stove just
    
     so you could say that you weren't staying? I thought you understood that I love you and
    
     that they were accidents. I never meant to hurt you."
    
    Sara stared at him, not believing a word that he said. "Listen, Bill. Whether or not you
    
     meant to hurt me isn't the issue. The issue is that you knew that you were hurting me, yet
    
     you did it again and again. I can't keep wearing long sleeve shirts to work. I work
    
     outside for a good portion of my day, and I don't want to have to explain to people why I
    
     choose to wear long sleeves."
    
    Bill stepped toward her, gripping her upper arm, causing Sara to gasp. "Listen to me." He
    
     shook her a little bit, rattling the teeth in her mouth. "No one is going to love you Sara.
    
     Not like I love you."
    
    Sara looked at him coldly. "I would rather have no one than have love like yours."
    
    He tossed her aside, and stepped toward the front door. Swinging it open wildly, he ran
    
     toward her car that was parked against the curb. Taking out his pocketknife, he began
    
     methodically slashing her tires. She let out a strangled sob as she heard the air escaping
    
     them. _I'll be trapped here. He could do whatever he wanted to with me, and I have no_
    
    _ way of getting out._ Reaching into her purse, she whipped out her cell phone. _Please be_
    
    _ there, Nick. Pick up the phone_.
    
    "Stokes." 
    
    "Nick." Sara breathed.
    
    "Sara?" Nick asked, a little confused. 
    
    "Nick, I need your help."
    
    "Is it with the case?"
    
    "No no… a little more personal than that. I just need you to meet me at Bill's house."
    
    Nick sounded even more confused. "Bill's house? Why?" Realization slowly dawned on
    
     him. "Sara, is he hurting you?"
    
    "Not at this moment." 
    
    "But he has in the past?" Nick whispered, seeking clarification.
    
    "Uh-huh." Sara mumbled. She heard the door slam. Bill came into the entranceway.
    
     "Nick, please hurry." Her voice became elevated.
    
    "Oh? New boyfriend already?" Bill sneered, whipping the phone from her hands. "Listen,
    
     Nicky. She's mine. You stay away from her."
    
    "She doesn't seem to want to be with you, Billy boy." Nick retorted.
    
    Bill sneered at the phone, and then tossed it against the wall just over Sara's head. The
    
     phone broke into pieces, littering the floor and Sara. 
    
    _Well, I've been afraid of changing 'cause I built my life around you_
    
    _But time makes you bolder_
    
    _Children get older_
    
    _I'm getting older too_
    
    _Well..._
    
    Nick hung up his phone and rushed toward the front door, grabbing his keys on the way
    
     out. Luckily for him, Bill was only a few blocks away.
    
    ~~*~~
    
    Sara shrieked as she felt Bill's hands clasp around her upper arms. "Listen Bill, we need
    
     to talk about this."
    
    "You lying little slut. You had someone else on the side."
    
    Sara stared at him. "I did not! Nick is just a friend and co-worker. You should know
    
     that."
    
    "Then why did you call him to your rescue?"
    
    "Because he lives the closest to here." Sara said matter-of-factly. 
    
    Bill sneered again. "Come on, we're having this out." He half dragged her, half pulled
    
     her to the living room. Tossing her like a rag doll onto the couch, he landed on top of
    
     her. 
    
    Sara started sobbing. _Oh God, oh God oh God… Nick, where are you?_
    
    ~~~*~~~
    
    Nick slammed on his brakes in front of Bill's house. Running toward the door, he
    
     reached for the knob. The door swung open, and the sounds of Sara's sobs echoed
    
     through the house. "Sara?" Nick cried. He ran for the living room. When he saw Bill and
    
     Sara on the couch, he sprang into action. "Get your filthy hands off her."
    
    Bill swung up with rage as he turned around to the sound of Nick's voice. His fist connected with Nick's jaw, but Nick swung back almost immediately with his own.
    
    Sara stared at them in shock. The sleeve on her shirt had ripped, and tears were streaming
    
     down her face. She winced as she heard Nick deliver another punch to Bill's face. "Nick,
    
     stop!" She pulled herself up and off the couch and toward Nick. "He's not worth ruining
    
     your career over. Don't let him do this to you."
    
    Bill stared at the closeness between them through is bruised eyes. 
    
    Nick turned to Sara. His hand cupped her cheek. "Are you okay, Sar?"
    
    Sara nodded. "Thanks Nick. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't…"
    
    Nick just smiled and hugged her quickly. He wrapped an arm around her. "Come on, let's
    
    get you home and then call a tow truck for you car."
    
    "Don't think I won't press charges, Nicky boy."
    
    Nick turned around, glaring. "I don't think that would be too wise, Billy boy. Sara has
    
     enough evidence against you to show that I acted in such a way to save her from you."
    
    Bill glared at them one last time before they exited the house.
    
    _Well, I've been afraid of changing 'cause I built my life around you_
    
    _But time makes you bolder_
    
    _Children get older_
    
    _I'm getting older, too_
    
    _Well I'm getting older too_
    
    Nick glanced at Sara as they sat in his Tahoe on the way over to Sara's apartment. "Do
    
     you want to talk about it?" He asked softly. _I can't believe she hid this from me._
    
    Sara shook her head, and continued staring out the passenger side window. The next
    
     thing she knew, Nick was shutting the engine off. 
    
    "Here we are."
    
    Sara started to get out wordlessly, and began closing the door, when something seemed to
    
     stop her. "Nick, do you want to come inside? I don't feel like being along right now."
    
    Nick smiled softly and took his keys out of the ignition. "Sure."
    
    Sara opened the front door to her house. Dropping her coat on the chair, she motioned to
    
     Nick to have a seat on the sofa. "I'm going to get something to drink."
    
    Nick nodded, and sat down. He waited for about 5 minutes and when he hadn't heard
    
     anything from Sara, he decided to get up and check on her. What he saw when he
    
     entered the kitchen was a vulnerable woman. Not the Sara he was used to. "Sara, are you okay?"
    
    Sara looked up at Nick, from where she sat sobbing quietly on the cold tile of the kitchen.
    
     She shook her head.
    
    That was all that Nick needed. He was next to her in a heartbeat. He wrapped his arms
    
     around her, pulling her to him. "Don't worry about anything Sara. I'm here for you."
    
    _So, take this love and take it down_
    
    _Year and if you climb a mountain and ya turn around_
    
    _And if you see my reflection in the snow-covered hills_
    
    _Well the landslide brought me down_
    
    _And if you see my reflection in the snow-covered hills_
    
    _Well maybe_
    
    _Well maybe_
    
    _Well maybe the landslide will bring you down _


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: The usual babble… 

A/N: Thanks for the replies! They are totally appreciated. 

If it wasn't for the snowstorm ripping through Montreal right now, I wouldn't be writing this. But, what can I do? The storm is inspiring. Can't go out, so I may as well write! : )

**~~ * Landslide Chapter 2 * ~~**

Sara sighed as she felt Nick's arms go around her. "Oh God…" She sobbed. She could barely hear Nick talking to her over the roaring in her ears. 

"Shh… Sara. It's going to be okay…"

"Nick… You don't understand. He'll come back after me. He'll… finish the job."  Sara said, fear lacing her words. 

Nick pulled away from her and saw the fear in her eyes. "Sara, honey. I won't let him do that. I won't let him hurt you."

"God, Nick you don't understand." Sara said, her frustration showing. "I really hurt him. What if he… Oh God, what if he doesn't take no for an answer?" Standing up, she stalked out of the kitchen and into the living room. 

The strands in your eyes that color them wonderful  
Stop me and steal my breath  
Emeralds from mountains thrust toward the sky  
Never revealing their depth  
Tell me that we belong together  
Dress it up with the trappings of love  
I'll be captivated  
I'll hang from your lips  
Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above

Nick followed her out of the kitchen and stared at her sitting on the sofa. "Sara." She didn't look at him, and kept staring blankly in front of her. "Sara, look at me." Slowly her head turned. He kneeled down in front of her. "You listen to me. You did not deserve anything that he has ever done to you. Now, I don't know how bad it has gotten, but it has obviously broken your spirit. You're not the same Sara that I once knew. You've changed. He's changed you. And that's not healthy."

Sara continued to stare at him, wiping the tears from her eyes. "Nick… I…" She closed her mouth. She didn't know what to say or how to respond.

"Sara. Tell me what happened. How long has this been going on?"

_I'll be your crying shoulder  
I'll be love suicide  
I'll be better when I'm older  
I'll be the greatest fan of your life_

"A year." Sara mumbled, looking down at her hands.

"A year!? Sara, a whole year and you didn't say anything?" Nick stared at her wide-eyed. "Why didn't you say something?"

"He kept saying that he loved me." 

"Honey. He didn't love you. He can't use you as his punching bag and claim that he loves you."

"It wasn't always physical!" Sara cried.

"What, so emotional abuse is okay too? Sara, are you listening to yourself? You're defending the bastard!" Nick practically yelled. 

_Rain falls angry on the tin roof_

As we lie awake in my bed  
You're my survival, you're my living proof  
My love is alive not dead  
Tell me that we belong together  
Dress it up with the trappings of love  
I'll be captivated I'll hang from your lips  
And stand at the gallows of heartache, that hang from above

"Nick, you don't understand! No one has ever claimed to love me before! I don't know how it goes? What does it feel like when someone loves you? Because poor old Sara Sidle here had never had the chance to find out before. Sure, there were plenty of guys in university that were willing to use a naïve little girl, but after a while, I wanted something more."

"Sara, what are you saying?" Nick whispered.

"I didn't exactly have a great childhood, Nick. My parents ignored me, so I turned to science for a way out. When I went away to college, I looked for someone to love me. Once again, Sara Sidle was alone. Then finally, I met Bill, and he was so sweet, and tender, that I didn't know how to say no to him. I just kept on forgiving him Nick. I needed to believe that someone loved me. That someone out there cared enough for me."

She looked away from him, and pulled her knees up to her chest defensively.

I'll be your crying shoulder  
I'll be love suicide  
I'll be better when I'm older  
I'll be the greatest fan of your life

I've been dropped out, burned up, fought my way back from the dead  
Tuned in, turned on, Remembered the things that you said

Nick looked at her. "Sara. There is someone that cares for you that much. That loves you that much. That would beat up your ex-boyfriend for you." _Did I just say that out loud?_ He wondered to himself.

Sara turned her head to look at him. "What did you say?" 

Nick looked away and stood up. _Now you've gone and done it Stokes. She's mad at you._

"Nick, did you just say what I think you said?"

Gulping, he turned around, only to be met by Sara. She had her arms wrapped around him. "You don't know how long I have waited to hear that." She said, sighing. 

Nick smiled and pulled her to him. "I have loved you since the moment I met you Sara. I just wish I had had the nerve to tell you sooner. I could have saved you this problem with Bill."

"I love you Nick Stokes. I just wish I had said something sooner."

It only took a second for those words to register in his mind. His lips found hers and their fate was sealed.

Sara wound her hands in his hair. _So this is what love feels like,_ Sara thought to herself. _I rather like it._

I'll be your crying shoulder  
I'll be love suicide  
I'll be better when I'm older  
I'll be the greatest fan of your life

~~~~~~~~~~~ FIN ~~~~~~~~~~

A/N: Song: I'll Be by Edwin McCain


End file.
